- National
A large disparity between the number of men and women playing sport still exists, with 13 million females saying they would like to participate in more sport. This document explores the benefits of female participation at an individual level, including academic achievement, employment, health and wellbeing and the influence on surrounding family and community. Next, it discusses the economic benefits of increased female participation, on healthcare, employment and the sports industry.
The report argues that investing in female participation is influential in developing positive social and economic outcomes. By investing at grassroots level, individual women are able to engage with sport, thus influencing others and increasing engagement with the sports industry. Furthermore, investment at intermediate and elite levels can build interest and engagement on a broader scale. It is argued that the impact at grassroots and elite level combined has the potential to further increase engagement in physical activity, providing valuable returns at individual, community and industrial levels. Examples include reduced absenteeism, reduced burden on the NHS and further growth of the sports industry.
